Repeater for rolling mills



March 17, 1936. J G: MOEACHERN REPEATER FOR ROLLING MILLS Filed April 13, 1932 v M M R% m ff WW v 0 N W. .J.

Patented Mar. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE REPEATER FOR ROLLING MILLS Application April 13, 1932, Serial No. 604,907

3 Claims.

This invention relates to repeaters for rolling mills, and more particularly to vertical repeaters for intermediate passes of roughing mills.

An object of the invention is to provide an efilcient and practical repeater for rolling mills.

In one embodiment, the invention contemplates a repeater for rod mills comprising an arcuate shaped rod guiding track of channel cross-section mounted for movement by the rod as the portion of the rod between the mill passes increases in length, and a drum freely rotatable about a fixed axis for providing a substantially frictionless guiding surface for the rod after it leaves the preceding pass.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a repeater embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views, numeral It designates a base plate or support upon which is mounted a housing II, which has a receiving spout I2 and a delivery spout I 3 formed therein, the receiving spout I2 being arranged to receive a rod from between reducing rolls l4 and I5 of a rod mill and the delivery spout I 3 being arranged to direct the rod over a trough I 5 .and between the roll I5 and a reducing roll I1. A cover plate I8 is removably held in place over the .receiving spout I2 by tapered pins I9 and and a cover plate 2| is removably held in place over the delivery spout I3 by tapered pins 2222, the spouts being accessible when these plates are removed and the plates serving as walls for the receiving and delivery spouts during the operation of the repeater. A lubricant containing compartment 23 is formed in the housing and communicates with the receiving spout I2 through an aperture 24 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The housing I I, and the cover plates I8 and 2|, have arcuate shaped portions indicated generally at 25 positioned between the exit end of the receiving spout I2 and the inlet end of the delivery spout I3 and conforming generally to a drum 26 mounted for rotation upon a shaft 21, which is fixedly carried by the housing II (Fig.

2). A track 28, which is arcuate shaped in general contour and channel shaped in cross-section having an uninterrupted rod guiding surface, conforms generally to the drum 26 and is normally positioned adjacent the drum to receive 5 a rod from the receiving spout I2 and direct it to the delivery spout I3. Three spaced rods or elements 30, 3| and 32 for movably supporting and guiding the track 28 have their forward ends fixed to the housing II and their other ends 10 suitably mounted in a bracket 33, which is rigidly fixed to the base plate Ill.

The track 28 has integral bearing members 35 and 36, arcuate shaped in cross-section to conform to the rods 3| and 32, respectively, upon which they are disposed and adapted to move relative thereto. An upper bearing portion 31 is integral with the track 28 and is arcuate shaped in general contour to receive the rod 30 and has a cover plate 38 fixed thereto and partially surrounding the rod 30.

Suitable means is provided for normally urging the track 28 toward and into the position shown in Fig. 1, adjacent the drum. In the present instance, this means consists of a cylinder 40 mounted upon the bracket 33 and having the interior thereof communicating with a pressure fluid supply (not shown) through a pipe line 4| for supplying a predetermined fluid pressure to the cylinder. A piston 42 is movably disposed in the cylinder 40 and is connected to the track 28 by a piston rod 43.

The track 28 is provided with a removable liner 45 having a hook-shaped end 46 extending around the lower wall of the track while the upper end thereof has a hook-shaped portion extending around the upper wall of the track and. fixed thereto by any suitable means, such as screws.

During the operation of the apparatus, a rod is fed between the reducing rolls I I and I 5 which are continuously rotated in clockwise and counterclockwise directions, respectively, and as the rod passes from between these rolls, it is directed into and through the receiving spout I2, at the exit end of which is positioned the entrance end of the track 28. The rod is, therefore, guided through an arcuate path as it rides in the track 28, which directs the rod into the delivery spout I3, after which it is directed toward and upon the trough I6 and thence between the rolls I5 and I1. The roll I! is rotated in a clockwise direction and as the roll I5 is rotated in a counterclockwise .direction, the rod is drawn between these rolls in a direction opposite to the direction 5 of its movement between the rolls I4 and I5. The reduction in the cross-sectional area of the rod while passing between the reducing rolls I4--I5 and I5--II causes the portion of the rod between the passes to increase in length. To compensate for this increase in length of the rod, the track 28 is movably mounted, as hereinbefore described, and is gradually forced to the right (Fig. l), forcing the piston 42 against the pres.- sure of the fluid in the cylinder 40, which is not sufficient to prevent the movement of the track 28 to the right while a rod increases in length, but is sufficient to move the track to the left after the rear end of the rod has passed from between the rolls I4 and I5.

When the rear end of the rod has passed from between the rolls I4 and I5, the track 28 will be forced to the left by the pressure of the fluid in the cylinder against the piston 42, until the,

track is positioned, as shown in Fig. 1, adjacent the drum 26. Therefore; when the rear end of the rod has passedfrom between the rolls I4 and I5, the further advancement of the rod is caused by therotation of the rolls I5 and I1. During this further advancement of the rod, the rod engages the drum 26 causing rotation thereof, until the rear end of the rod has passed into the delivery spout I3.' The travel of the rod after the rear end has passed from between the rolls I4 and I5 is around and in engagement with drum 26, and the rod is guided by the side walls of the track 28.

During the travel of the rod through the receiving spout I2 the walls thereof become heated from the heated rod and a heavy lubricant, which is disposed in the compartment 23, slowly melts and the melted lubricant passes through the aperture 24 and into the receiving spout to lubricate the Walls thereof as the rod passes therethrough. 7

The important feature of this invention is the rotatable drum 26 and the cooperation of the movable track 28 therewith, the track serving asa positive means for guiding a rod from one pass to another and movable to compensate for the increase in length of the rod, and the drum 26 serving as a frictionless guide movable with the rod during the advancement of the rod by the rolls I5 and I1. It has been found that the pulling of a hot rod around a stationary member causes a scratching of the rod and the provision of a drum which is rotated by and with the rod during its engagement with the periphery thereof eliminates such damaging of the rod.

While the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment thereof, it is understood that various modifications maybe made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is: a

l. The combination with rolls constituting two passes of a rolling mill, of a rotatable drum, means for rotatably supporting said drum, means for directing the material fromone pass to the other, said means including a single rigid unitary member having formed thereon an arcuate shaped open uninterrupted track partially conforming to and normally positioned with its open side adjacent and facing said drum, the material being engaged with the track during its advance from one pass to the other, means for supporting said member for reciprocable movement in a rectilinear direction to provide for its movement relative to said drum in response solely to the advancement of the material as its length increases between the passes and due to contact of the material on said track, and means for moving said member toward said rotatable drum when the rear end of the material leaves the first pass whereby the rear end of the material will be guided around said drum.

2. The combination with rolls constituting two passes of a rolling mill, of a rotatable drum, means for rotatably supporting said drum, means for directing the material from one pass to the other, said means including a single rigid uni-' tary member having formed thereon an arcuate shaped open uninterrupted track partially conforming to and normally positioned with its open side adjacent and facing said drum, the material being engaged with the track during its advance from one pass to the other, means for movably supporting said member to provide for its movement away from said drum in response solely to the advancement of the material as its length increases between the passes and due to contact of the material on said track, a pressure fluid cylinder, a piston carried therein operatively connected to said member for moving said member toward said rotatable drum to guide the material into engagement with the drum after the material leaves the first pass, and means for supplying pressure fluid to said cylinder for actuating said piston.

3. The combination with rolls constituting two passes of a rolling mill, of a rotatable drum, means for rotatably supporting said drum, means for directing the material'from one pass to the other, said means including a single rigid unitary member having formed thereon an arcuate shaped open uninterrupted track partially conforming to and normally positioned with its open side adjacent and facing said drum, the material being engaged with the track during its advance from one pass to the other, means for slidably supporting said member to provide for its movement in a rectilinear direction relative to said drum in response solely to the increase in length of the material between the passes and due to contact of the material on said track, whereby the track thereof constantly engages the bent portion of the material farthest from the-rolls, and yieldable means continuously urging said member toward said rotatable drum so that when the rear end of the material leaves the first pass it will be guided into engagement with said drum.

JOSEPH G. MoEACI-IERN. 

